DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – Houston Academy is set to open its playoff run against New Brockton, looking to turn a regular-season loss into postseason momentum.
The Raiders and Gamecocks met once earlier this season, with Houston Academy falling 7–8 in a close matchup. Now, with a stronger and more complete team, the Raiders enter the three-game series with hopes of making a deep postseason run.
Head coach Mike Mordecai said it took time early in the season for the team to come together.
“We had a handful of guys that didn’t come out until a little bit later… it took us a little time to get our pitching in order. We had to bite the bullet earlier in the season but after the first six, seven games — we’ve played much better,” Mordecai said.
Houston Academy enters the playoffs with a .356 team batting average and a 17–10 record. Once the pieces clicked, the Raiders became one of the area’s most dangerous teams, racking up 260 hits, 214 runs, and 180 RBIs this season.
Their pitching staff has been just as strong, led by junior Ty Morris, who threw a perfect game earlier this season against Ashford with nine strikeouts in five innings.
“I was just treating it like any other game. I was just feeling good that game. I didn’t really realize I was doing anything special until the last inning when teammates started talking about it,” Morris said.
While the moment stood out, Mordecai said the focus quickly returned to fundamentals.
“Baseball has always been about pitching and defense. And then you manufacture runs. And we’ve done that fairly well the last half of the season,” he said.
A later loss to Geneva served as a turning point for the team.
“We made a lot of errors. And we got beat. So the message was easy for them. Hey, if you pitch and play defense, you got a chance to win. But when we play like that, that’s what happens,” Mordecai said.
Inside the dugout, players say the team’s success goes beyond stats — it’s built on chemistry.
“A bunch of us have been playing together for years. We’ve built a strong foundation, and we just play well together. We keep each other accountable and make sure we’re always happy about playing,” said senior William Lisenby.
Lisenby, the team’s lone senior, has taken on a leadership role for a younger roster. With his high school career winding down, each game carries added meaning.
“It would mean a lot to me because I won’t get to play with any of these guys ever again. Any day now could be my last game,” he said.
Mordecai said the team has rallied around Lisenby, using his final season as motivation.
“It’s almost like he garners all the attention. Everyone wants to send him out on a good note. Let’s play for this guy. And he is the ultimate teammate,” Mordecai said.
As they prepare for New Brockton, Mordecai pointed to the Gamecocks’ scrappy play and strong pitching as key challenges.
Still, the Raiders are confident.
“I’m feeling pretty confident. We know what they got. And I’m just feeling confident of what we got — because we’re kind of on a roll,” Morris said.
“We’ve played them before. If we play like we have been, I think we’ll be pretty good — have a good chance to win,” Lisenby added.
Houston Academy hasn’t had three full days of practice since the start of the season, but with time to reset, Mordecai has the team focused and refining the details.
A postseason run is within reach — but first, the Raiders will have to get past the Gamecocks.
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